Jacob Stuart: Central Florida's apostle of regionalism

When Shelley Wilson Lauten, current CEO of the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness, was recruited to head up an organization called MyRegion.org at the behest of Jacob Stuart, president of the former Orlando Chamber of Commerce, she could count on one hand the number of people in Orlando who even spoke in terms of the region. There was Orlando, of course, and everyone else. But my region? That was a concept years in the making.

Today, most of us routinely understand Central Florida to be a multijurisdictional region. To Shelley Lauten, "that recalibration is the result of the singular vision and passion of one man — one community leader — Jacob Stuart."

Regionalism was hardly assumed for Central Florida. When Jacob and his siblings sat at their parents' table, what flowed was a steady diet of community commitment, which each of the children embraced almost as manifest destiny for Orlando. Love our city … our community … our region … our state.

Each of the children translated that message in a special way; however, there was little wonder why young Jacob, with his love of Orlando, committed himself some 33 years ago to captain an organization dedicated to the quality of life for all of Central Florida.

For Jacob, it wasn't just about economic development through its bellwether business chamber, but meaningful community development fostered by changing the way we think about our issues and how we go about solving them.

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Whether the mission was to spotlight transportation in 1997 by suggesting that Lynx paint all their buses pink, or convene a task force in 1998 called Workforce 2020 to identify ways to close the income gap in Central Florida, or to spearhead a major initiative in 1999 called MyRegion.org, which transformed regional collaboration, the objective was always the same.

According to Patricia Engfer, area vice president and general manager of the Hyatt Grand Cypress and a longstanding colleague and friend, the objective never varied. "For Jacob, it was always the fundamental question — what should we be doing differently to improve the overall well being of our community."

That question drove cooperation among seven counties — Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, and Volusia — in addressing highway infrastructure, public transportation, SunRail, smart growth, water conservation, and countless other issues. It has driven, over this past decade, the underlying methods those counties currently use to approach, discuss and ultimately facilitate solutions to ongoing issues.

And, it ultimately bound those seven counties into a regional model of civic architecture called the Central Florida Partnership. Officially launched on Dec. 12, 2007, the Central Florida Partnership provided a new method of housing key organizations committed to business and civic leadership, bringing Orlando, Inc. Business Force, Leadership Orlando and MyRegion.org under one collaborative umbrella for the entire region.

Missing from the effort, however, was a critical organization focused primarily on economic development. That is finally about to change.

On Sept. 26, 2007, even before the Central Florida Partnership had been formally adopted, Jacob attended an informal lunch with a small "Circle of Friends" discussing ways in which community building could somehow join with those groups involved with economic development. The concepts were high-minded and visionary; yet even though the word "merger" was barely whispered, the community just wasn't ready.

In fact, it took another nine years before it was. Last week, the boards of the Central Florida Partnership and the Metro-Orlando Economic Development Commission unanimously approved a plan to merge their respective organizations effective Feb. 1, 2017, pending ratification by their respective memberships in late January. With that merger will come a unified governance model combining best-in-breed economic development, multifaceted community-building and sustainability through home-grown economic gardening.

When asked what this merger means for our region, Jacob responded: "It is the best of civic architecture designed to improve the quality of our lives and drive up regional prosperity." When asked whether he will be involved post-merger, Jacob simply says that, "I love Orlando. After 33 years of service, I will be pleased to participate in any way the new board and CEO think appropriate."

The as-yet to be named powerful regional organization will be on a national search for a CEO and, with the explosive opportunities we have in Central Florida, the best and the brightest suitors won't be lacking. The only issue is whether they will ever be able, according to Engfer, "to address the thorny issues leadership requires with the passion and love Jacob Stuart has gotten us all accustomed to."

Larry Pino is a commercial attorney and the president/CEO of an Orlando-based private equity firm.